Published: Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 12:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, April 8, 2013 at 4:22 a.m.

WINTER HAVEN | When Mike Kingham started his technology services company in 1991 it didn't feel like a bold, forward-thinking move.

Facts

Michael Oliver Kingham

Born: November 1966 in Auburndale.Family: Wife Beth and three children.Occupation: Founder and president of ePolk.com Inc. in Winter Haven.Education: University of Florida, degree in mechanical engineering.Quote: "I want this community to grow and be successful, like we have."

It was terrifying.

The Auburndale native was just a year out of college and had left a promising job with a large consulting firm. Once on his own, Kingham discovered he wasn't a very good salesman, and even worse, people didn't quite understand his product.

"Sometimes you make decisions that give you that feeling, that knot in your stomach, like you're getting ready to jump out of an airplane," said Kingham, 46. But after months of intense self-doubt, and a lot of hard work, the office phone kept ringing and "eventually that feeling went away."

He can smile about those days now.

Kingham's firm, Winter Haven-based ePolk.com, is a thriving software and web design company with no shortage of demand. He also has used his passion for technology to help local nonprofit groups.

Kingham is no longer just "the guy you called when the printer wouldn't print."

AN EARLY INTEREST IN COMPUTERS

The youngest of three siblings, Kingham grew up among the citrus groves in a rural section of Auburndale. His father, Bob, sold insurance and taught Mike how to work on old cars. His mother, Judy, was a homemaker adamant about exposing him to culture, which involved trips to Florida Southern College to see visiting musicians.

Kingham developed an early interest in computers, tinkering with a primitive Radio Shack TRS-80 owned by a family friend. He would later take a programming course while attending Winter Haven High School.

As someone who grew up dismantling things, Kingham pursued a mechanical engineering degree when he headed to the University of Florida in 1984. There, he got a chance to participate in an innovative new course focused on computer-aided design.

"That was my first introduction to computers at the university," Kingham said. "There was no such thing as minoring in computers back then, but that's really kind of what I did. I took every computer class that I could get my hands on there."

He became so proficient that UF hired him as an assistant to teach classes in computer drafting and graphics. After completing his five-year engineering program and an internship, Kingham graduated in 1990.

He pondered a career in engineering, interviewing with Ford Motor Co. and Mitsubishi, but he was more enticed by an offer from Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). Andersen liked to hire people with engineering degrees — "basically a degree in problem solving," Kingham says — and teach them how to program financial applications.

That sounded perfect.

"I wanted to be on a keyboard in front of a screen, without a doubt," Kingham said.

ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS PROVES CHALLENGING

Kingham spent a year with Andersen before going into business for himself as Kingham Software. His mother, by then divorced and remarried, helped by providing a rent-free headquarters: a spare desk at her real estate office in downtown Winter Haven.

At the time, people commonly used floppy disks or tape drives to back up their computer data (which could be lost or damaged), but Kingham developed a service that used modems to safely back up data offsite. It wasn't exactly a runaway success.

"After six months, I had it ready and I started to go sell it, knocking on doors and sending flyers out trying to market it. It was tough ... I was a terrible salesman. I mean, imagine an engineer/computer guy trying to sell something," Kingham said. "Worst of all, I was selling something that people didn't understand. They needed it, but they didn't know it."

In the mornings before work, standing in the shower, Kingham would wonder whether he had made a terrible mistake. But even though few clients were biting on his data backup service, they did need someone to fix a printer, install a network, set up a new computer, etc. It was enough to keep going.

"I was so proud that he came in every day and did what it took, which is what you have to do when you own a small business," said Kingham's mother, Judy Cleaves. "When you're fearful like that, you do work hard ... you jump in and don't give up."

Kingham says he lost an estimated $13,000 his first year in operation, broke even the second, and finally turned a modest profit in the third. Kingham Software would be OK, after all.

DISTRACTED BY THINGS THAT ARE NEW

The firm's name changed to ePolk.com about three years ago. Kingham said his dream for ePolk is for it to persist after he retires some day, and for that to happen, he says the company needs an identity beyond his last name.

Today, the business occupies a homey space in a 1920s-era brick building on Fifth Street Northwest overlooking Central Park. It has a staff of seven employees, and the company does everything from creating and hosting websites to developing financial software for businesses.

At times, ePolk has spread itself thin by expanding into so many niches, Kingham said, for which he blames himself. He said the problem came to light after ePolk hired a consultant two years ago.

"My weakness is that I am constantly distracted by things that are new," Kingham said. "It's hard to sustain being a jack of many trades ... we can do better by staying focused."

HELPING NONPROFITS

Kingham has used his expertise to help area nonprofits, developing websites and providing hosting services without charge for groups like Main Street Winter Haven, Polk Theatre, Meals on Wheels, and Theatre Winter Haven.

"Mike is the kind of guy who always enters a room smile-first," said Norm Small, producing director of Theatre Winter Haven. "It would be hard for Mike to say no if you ask him to do something."

A recent project of Kingham's was founding the ePolk Code Club last year. Opening up his office on Sundays, Kingham hosted local youths for free classes teaching computer skills through video game development. The initial sessions were a hit, and Kingham plans to continue the Code Club this year.

"I do the other parts of this business that are necessary ... but what I really love to do is program," Kingham said. "And I want to pass that on (to the next generation). I think programming is so good for their brains — the skills, the problem-solving, the analytical and critical thinking. Plus, it uses math."

Kingham spends much of his free time with family. He and his wife, Beth, live in Winter Haven with their three children: Andrew, 14; Jackson, 11; and Ellie, 9.

Kingham also plays competitive racquetball and enjoys rebuilding old cars, the latter of which has become a family tradition. Two weeks ago he bought a dilapidated 1961 Jeep. He plans to work on it with Andrew.

[ Kyle Kennedy can be reached at kyle.kennedy@theledger.com or 863-802-7584. ]

<p>WINTER HAVEN | When Mike Kingham started his technology services company in 1991 it didn't feel like a bold, forward-thinking move.</p><p>It was terrifying.</p><p>The Auburndale native was just a year out of college and had left a promising job with a large consulting firm. Once on his own, Kingham discovered he wasn't a very good salesman, and even worse, people didn't quite understand his product.</p><p>"Sometimes you make decisions that give you that feeling, that knot in your stomach, like you're getting ready to jump out of an airplane," said Kingham, 46. But after months of intense self-doubt, and a lot of hard work, the office phone kept ringing and "eventually that feeling went away." </p><p>He can smile about those days now. </p><p>Kingham's firm, Winter Haven-based ePolk.com, is a thriving software and web design company with no shortage of demand. He also has used his passion for technology to help local nonprofit groups.</p><p>Kingham is no longer just "the guy you called when the printer wouldn't print."</p><p>AN EARLY INTEREST IN COMPUTERS</p><p>The youngest of three siblings, Kingham grew up among the citrus groves in a rural section of Auburndale. His father, Bob, sold insurance and taught Mike how to work on old cars. His mother, Judy, was a homemaker adamant about exposing him to culture, which involved trips to Florida Southern College to see visiting musicians.</p><p>Kingham developed an early interest in computers, tinkering with a primitive Radio Shack TRS-80 owned by a family friend. He would later take a programming course while attending Winter Haven High School.</p><p>As someone who grew up dismantling things, Kingham pursued a mechanical engineering degree when he headed to the University of Florida in 1984. There, he got a chance to participate in an innovative new course focused on computer-aided design.</p><p>"That was my first introduction to computers at the university," Kingham said. "There was no such thing as minoring in computers back then, but that's really kind of what I did. I took every computer class that I could get my hands on there."</p><p>He became so proficient that UF hired him as an assistant to teach classes in computer drafting and graphics. After completing his five-year engineering program and an internship, Kingham graduated in 1990.</p><p>He pondered a career in engineering, interviewing with Ford Motor Co. and Mitsubishi, but he was more enticed by an offer from Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). Andersen liked to hire people with engineering degrees — "basically a degree in problem solving," Kingham says — and teach them how to program financial applications. </p><p>That sounded perfect.</p><p>"I wanted to be on a keyboard in front of a screen, without a doubt," Kingham said.</p><p>ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS PROVES CHALLENGING</p><p>Kingham spent a year with Andersen before going into business for himself as Kingham Software. His mother, by then divorced and remarried, helped by providing a rent-free headquarters: a spare desk at her real estate office in downtown Winter Haven. </p><p>At the time, people commonly used floppy disks or tape drives to back up their computer data (which could be lost or damaged), but Kingham developed a service that used modems to safely back up data offsite. It wasn't exactly a runaway success.</p><p>"After six months, I had it ready and I started to go sell it, knocking on doors and sending flyers out trying to market it. It was tough ... I was a terrible salesman. I mean, imagine an engineer/computer guy trying to sell something," Kingham said. "Worst of all, I was selling something that people didn't understand. They needed it, but they didn't know it."</p><p>In the mornings before work, standing in the shower, Kingham would wonder whether he had made a terrible mistake. But even though few clients were biting on his data backup service, they did need someone to fix a printer, install a network, set up a new computer, etc. It was enough to keep going.</p><p>"I was so proud that he came in every day and did what it took, which is what you have to do when you own a small business," said Kingham's mother, Judy Cleaves. "When you're fearful like that, you do work hard ... you jump in and don't give up."</p><p>Kingham says he lost an estimated $13,000 his first year in operation, broke even the second, and finally turned a modest profit in the third. Kingham Software would be OK, after all.</p><p>DISTRACTED BY THINGS THAT ARE NEW</p><p>The firm's name changed to ePolk.com about three years ago. Kingham said his dream for ePolk is for it to persist after he retires some day, and for that to happen, he says the company needs an identity beyond his last name.</p><p>Today, the business occupies a homey space in a 1920s-era brick building on Fifth Street Northwest overlooking Central Park. It has a staff of seven employees, and the company does everything from creating and hosting websites to developing financial software for businesses.</p><p>At times, ePolk has spread itself thin by expanding into so many niches, Kingham said, for which he blames himself. He said the problem came to light after ePolk hired a consultant two years ago.</p><p>"My weakness is that I am constantly distracted by things that are new," Kingham said. "It's hard to sustain being a jack of many trades ... we can do better by staying focused."</p><p>HELPING NONPROFITS</p><p>Kingham has used his expertise to help area nonprofits, developing websites and providing hosting services without charge for groups like Main Street Winter Haven, Polk Theatre, Meals on Wheels, and Theatre Winter Haven.</p><p>"Mike is the kind of guy who always enters a room smile-first," said Norm Small, producing director of Theatre Winter Haven. "It would be hard for Mike to say no if you ask him to do something."</p><p>A recent project of Kingham's was founding the ePolk Code Club last year. Opening up his office on Sundays, Kingham hosted local youths for free classes teaching computer skills through video game development. The initial sessions were a hit, and Kingham plans to continue the Code Club this year.</p><p>"I do the other parts of this business that are necessary ... but what I really love to do is program," Kingham said. "And I want to pass that on (to the next generation). I think programming is so good for their brains — the skills, the problem-solving, the analytical and critical thinking. Plus, it uses math."</p><p>Kingham spends much of his free time with family. He and his wife, Beth, live in Winter Haven with their three children: Andrew, 14; Jackson, 11; and Ellie, 9.</p><p>Kingham also plays competitive racquetball and enjoys rebuilding old cars, the latter of which has become a family tradition. Two weeks ago he bought a dilapidated 1961 Jeep. He plans to work on it with Andrew. </p><p>[ Kyle Kennedy can be reached at kyle.kennedy@theledger.com or 863-802-7584. ]</p>